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No. I
Yes, my friends and fellow-travellers, we want some
admonitory readings now and then, as well as the
young; we occasion<<186>>ally require to have our
memories jogged, and to take a review of our by-ways
through life; scanning the rugged paths over which
we have trodden; viewing our many hair-breadth
escapes from dangerous precipices and yawning gulfs;
as well as recalling to our mind’s eye the several
backslidings which our weak and irresolute hearts
have caused us to be guilty of, when, guided by our
passions and evil inclinations, we have suffered
ourselves to be led from the highroad of love and
duty into the labyrinth of disobedience and sin.
This, my dear friends, is as essential for our own
happiness here and salvation hereafter, as it is
desirable to enable us to teach the young; for by
pointing out the slippery paths of sin, we can the
more effectually put them on their guard, and show
them how to avoid those ways, so destructive to
their peaceful and prosperous journey through life,
sad salvation hereafter. Let us therefore prepare
ourselves for our next journey (from this life of
probation to one of eternity, the commencement of
which we should be constantly expecting, and ready
at a moment’s call to set out upon), by a retrospect
of the past, with a view of occupying the remainder
of our days on earth (however few or many they may
be) in avoiding the path of error, and “walking in
the way of the Lord,” and by our example holding
open a book to the eyes of the young, which all can
read and understand, teaching them by actions, and
not by words only, their line of duty, and preparing
for ourselves eternal bliss hereafter.
Such readings as these I feel assured would prove
very beneficial, and I shall, therefore, in a future
paper, open a leaf of the past, that by its light
our vision may be conducted to a clearer view of the
future.
Sexagenarian
Philadelphia, June 11th, 1851.
Note.—We welcome with pleasure our unknown
correspondent; we will gladly give him several pages
every month to lay his reflections before “children
of a larger growth,” than those for whom our friend
S. S. has been writing for several months past; but
he will oblige us by giving us a knowledge of his
name and residence, not that the world at large may
be informed, as he probably prefers doing good
without public scrutiny, but that we may know our
fellow-labourer. It is our rule to be acquainted
with our correspondents. |
